LAOS

Laos is a Southeast Asian country traversed by the Mekong River and known for mountainous terrain, French colonial architecture, hill tribe settlements and Buddhist monasteries. Vientiane, the capital, is the site of the That Luang monument, where a reliquary reportedly houses the Buddha's breastbone, plus the Patuxai war memorial and Talat Sao (Morning Market), a complex jammed with food, clothes and craft stalls.

Capital: Vientiane
Currency: Lao kip
Capital and largest city: Vientiane; 17^o58'N 102^o36'E /17.967^oN 102.600^oE
Spoken languages: Lao; Hmong; Khmu; French
Points of interest: Kuang Si Falls, Pha That Luang, Mount Phousi